Wedge knocker for casting machines



l March 10, 1931. J. A. BYERS ET Al. 1,795,635

\ WEDGE KNOCKER FOR CASTING MACHINES Filed NOV. 16, 1928 Patented Mar. 10, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE- JOHN A. IBYERS, 0F EVANSTON, ILLINOIS, AND MICHAEL C. SMOTZER, OF COSHOGTON, OHIO, ASSIGNORS, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO CENTRIFUGAL PIPE CORPORATION,

A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE WEDGE XNOCKER FOR CASTING MACHINES Application led November 16, 1928. Serial No. 319,803.

This invention pertains to the centrifugal casting art and more particularly to a device for releasing the socket cores from the rotary molds used in casting pipe and the like centrifugally.

Where a pipeor other similar article that is 4cast by a centrifugal process is to 'have a special configuration for its internal surface` as for instance, when a pipe is to be ared outwardly at one end to provide what is commonly known as a bell, it becomes necessary to place a core in the mold so as to insure such conguration, and to secure the core to the mold so that it will not become displaced therefrom during the casting operation or until the molten metal poured into the mold has solidified. In the manufacture of centrifugally cast pipe it has been found preferable to secure the socket core for formation of the bell end of the pipe in the bell end of the mold by means of one, two or more wedges which are wedged through suitable slots and the like in the mold wall and against the outer face of the socket core structure with the point of the wedge or the points of the wedges projecting substantially radially from the axes of the mold and socket core so that centrifugal force tends to hold the wedges firmly in place during the rotation of the mold.

Such an arrangement facilitates the casting operation inasmuch as even an unskilled workman may withdraw or knock out the wedges and release the casting preparatory to drawing the cast pipe from the mold just as soon as the mold has ceased its rotation.A Further, there are no complicated and expensive parts to construct or get out of order. Light tapping on the pointed edges of the wedges with a hammeror other instrument when the mold has stopped or substantially stopped rotating ordinarily serves to knock the wedges loose so that the casting may be pulled or removed from the mold without diiiiculty. Under the increasing demands and necessity for speed in production and production on a wholesale basis every moment counts and the time lost waiting for the mold to stop rotating or to decelerate to a comparatively low speed so that the workman may knock the wedges out to release the socket core from the mold, counts up and becomes considerable during the casting of any quantity of One of the primary objects of our invention is to provide an arrangement and mechanism whereby the wedges or pins securing the socket core or the like within or to the mold may be knocked or driven out while the mold is yet rotatingl at a comparatively high speed after suiiicient time has elapsed for the molten metal to have become set, thereby facilitating the casting operation and saving considerable time which otherwise would be wasted.

Many other objects as well as the advantages and uses of the invention will be or should become readily appreciated and understood after reading the following description and claims and after viewing the drawing in which:

Fig. l is an end elevational view of a portion of a centrifugal casting machine with one embodiment of the invention applied thereto,

Fig. 2 is a part .top plan and part sectional view of a fragment of the machine illustrated in Fig. 1 taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. l,

Fig. 3 is a view corresponding to the view of Fig. 1, with a portion broken away, illustrating another form of the invention, and

Fig. 4 4is a fragmentary side elevational view of the apparatus illustrated in Fig. 3.

The invention has been illustrated in both forms as embodied in a centrifugal pipe Casting machine including a metal mold 2 which may be rotated by any of the various mechanisms for such purpose well known in the art, a relatively stationary two-part casing 3 concentrically surrounding the rotary mold and from and within which the mold is supported by suitable bearings, not shown, and a suitable socket core ring 4 which carries and supports a socket core 5 composed of suitable material.

The casing 3 is in turn supported from the floor of the room' within which the casting machine may be located in any suitable manner well known in the art while the core ring 4 and core 5 are held in the bell end 6 -of the mold through the intermediary of wedges 7,

the pointed ends 8 of which are passed or.

i drven outwardly relative to the axes of the mold and socket core through suitable slots or the like 9 formed through the bell end of the mold. The mold and socket core ring 4 are provided with cooperating shoulders 11 serving to position the socket core ring and core correctly in the bell end of the mold and the outer end surface of the core ring preferably is formed to present a substantially flat `outer surface against which the wedges 7 tightly engage when they are driven intov the slots 9 thereby to secure the core ring and mold shoulders tightly together and the core properly in position. As previously stated the wedges are driven through the slots with their pointed ends directed outwardly in order that centrifugal force will tend to hold them in place and keep them tight.

The slots 9 are preferably so formed that their axes incline away from radii of the mold and core somewhat in the direction of ing through the coil is guided by an outer bearing bracket 15 in such a manner that the core may be projected by the action of the coil into proximity of the outer ends of wedges 7 A hammer head or knocke-r 17 may be secured to the inner end of the core 16 to act as a contact element.` A spring 18 surrounding the outer end of the core 16 and abutting between the coil 14 and an abutment washer 19 suitably pinned on the outer end of the core 16 serves not only to return the hammer head or knocker 17 and the core to its inoperative outer position but also to absorb some of the shock incident to knocking out the wedges or pins 7. The solenoid 14 is connected to a suitable source of current through a switch S conventionally illustrated. l i

The core of the solenoid and its associated parts are so positioned in the illustrated embodiment of Figs. 1 and 2' that they recipro cate on a line which is substantially radial of the mold and core although if desired they could be inclined to strike a blow tangential of the mold. The hammer head or knocker 17 is preferably provided with an inclined striking face 21 so thatwhen it is projected inwardly to the dotted line position illustrated in Fig. 1 the face 21 will strike the inclined face 12 of the wedge and impart a thrust which is substantially longitudinal of the wedge. Through the position or rather the direction of inclination of the longitudinal axes of the wedges the inclined faces 12 of the wedges, the direction of movement of the knocker and direction of inclination of the striking face 21 thereof, the effect of blows struck against the wedge is more nearly and to all intents and purposes tangential of the mold and core. Thus though the mold and socket core be rotating at a comparatively high speed when the switch S is closed the solenoid acts to move the core inwardly and the hammer head' or knocker 17 is projected into the path of movement of the Wedges 7 and as they come around it strikes them on the surfaces 12 and drives them out or loosens them.

In Figs. 3 and 4 we have illustrated a modified form or arrangement in which a hand lever 22 is pivotally mounted on a pivot 23 in a bracket 24 secured on the casing 3 andcarries a knocker or hammer head 25 and a counter weight 26 secured on an arm 27. The hand lever 22 is extended upon the other side ofthe pivot as shown at 28 and carries a projection 29 which serves as a stop, to limit the outer movement of the lever under the influence of the counter Weight 26, by engaging against the casing 3. The operator, when it is desired to remove the wedges, merely moves the handle 22 to the dotted line position indicated at 22', whereupon the hammer head or knocker 25 is projected into the path of the revolving Wedges and upon impact drives them out or loosens them. Upon release of the hand lever 22 the counter weight 26 corresponding in action to the spring 18 returns the knocker to an inoperative position.

While we have illustrated and described two forms of the invention, both of which may be said to be preferred, it will be appreciated that many modifications and changes may be made in them and that other embodiments bearing little resemblancel to the types illustrated may be conceived without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In a centrifugal casting machine, a rotary mold, a socket core in said mold, means for securing said core to said mold for rotation therewith, and means for releasing said securing means while said mold is rotating.

-2. In a centrifugal casting mac ine, a rotary mold, a socket core in said mold, means for securing said core in said mold, a relatively stationary support adjacent said mold, and means secured to said support and movable with respect to said mold for releasing said securing means.

8. In a centrifugal casting machine, a rotary mold member, a socket core member in said mold member, means for retaining the core member assembled within the mold member, said means comprising a locking pin and a slot Within which the pin is slidable, said pin and slot being so mounted to prevent displacement of the core member relative to the mold member, and means for sliding the pin Within the slot While said mold is rotating to elease the core member from the mold mem.-

4. In a centrifugal casting machine, a rotary mold member, a socket core member in said mold member, means for retaining the core member assembled Within the mold member, said means comprising a locking pin and a slot Within which the pin is slidable, said pin and slot being so mounted to prevent longitudinal displacement of the core member relative to the mold member, a relatively stationary support adjacent said mold, and means secured to said support and movable with respect thereto into engagement with in the slot while said mold is rotating to release the core member from the mold member.

5. In a centrifugal casting machine, a rotary mold member, a socket core member removably disposed in said mold member, means securing said members relatively together, a casing extending about said members in spaced relation thereto, and means mounted on said casing and movable into engagement With said securing means for releasing said members from one another.

6. In a centrifugal casting machine, a rotary mold member, a socket core member'y removably disposed in said mold member, means for positively retaining the core member assembled Within the mold member, said means comprising a locking pin and a vslot Within Which the pin is slidable, saidl pin and slot being so mounted to prevent displacement of the core member relative to the mold member, and means adjacent said members and projectable into. engagement with one end of said pin for sliding the pin Within the slot while the mold is rotating to release the core member from the mold member.

7. In a centrifugal casting machine, a rotary mold member, a socket core member removably disposed insaid mold member, means for positively retaining the core member assembled within the mold member, said means comprising a securing element mounted to move into overlapping relation With the mold and core members for preventing displacement of the core member relative to the mold member, a stationary support adjacent the saidmembers, and means secured to said support and projectable toward said securing .element for disengaging said element while the mold is rotating to release the core member from the mold member.

8. In a centrifugal casting machine, a support, a mold member rotatably mounted on said support, a socket core member removably disposed in said mold member, means for retaining the core member assembled within the mold member, said means comprising a wedge and a slot within which the Wedge is slidable into a position overlapping both the` core and mold members to prevent displacement of the core member relative to the mold member, and means secured to said support and projectable into the path of movement of a portion of said wedge for driving said wedge during rotation of the mold to nonoverlapping position withl respect to both the core and mold members.

9. In a centrifugal casting machine, a casing, a substantiallyy cylindrical mold rota,- bly mounted in said casing, a socket and core removably disposed in one end of said mold, a projection on said mold extending axially outward beyond the body of .said core and having a slot therethrough, a projection of the axis of said slot extending over an outer sa1d retaining means for` sl1d1ng the p1n W1thportion of said core, a wedge element in said slot and engaging said outer portion of said .movements into and out of contacting engagement With a Wedge, and means for moving said head into contacting engagement with a Wedge.

11. In a centrifugal casting apparatus, a mold, means mounted on the mold for preventing the emergence of a core from the mold, a stationary member adjacent the mold,

and other means mounted on said stationary member for actuating the first-named means.

12. A centrifugal casting apparatus comprising a mold, a core in said mold, a plu1 rality of Wedges adjustably mounted on the mold at a point Where they will vvedgingly engage the core to retain the core Within thev mold, and means mounted on a non-rotating portion of the casting apparatus engageable With the Wedges for actuating them while the mold is rotating.

In Witness of the foregoing We aflix our signatures.

JOHN A. BYERS. MICHAEL C. SMOTZER. 

